Vacuum cleaners are well known for collecting dust and dirt. Typically, vacuum cleaners are intended for use in a domestic environment, although they also find uses in other environments. Generally vacuum cleaners are electrically powered and comprise an electric motor and a fan connected to an output shaft of the motor, an inlet for dirty air, an outlet for clean air and a collection chamber for dust. Electrical power can be provided by a source of mains electricity or by a replaceable and/or rechargeable battery pack.
In recent times there has been a trend for vacuum cleaners to be battery operated because this removes the need for a power cable and allows the user to use the vacuum cleaner remote from sources of mains electricity. Battery operated vacuum cleaners are often smaller handheld devices which also assist in the portability of the vacuum cleaner. For example, a user can use a battery powered handheld vacuum cleaner in a vehicle well away from any sources of mains electricity.
A problem with the battery powered handheld vacuum cleaner is that the user typically also wants to clean floor surfaces. Cleaning floor surfaces with a handheld vacuum cleaner is tiresome because the handheld vacuum cleaner has smaller dimensions and the user may be forced to crouch down or stoop to engage the handheld vacuum cleaner with the floor surface.
It is known to use an extension with a handheld vacuum cleaner and EP1279362 shows such an arrangement. Another vacuum cleaning appliance is shown in EP2012638. EP2012638 discloses a handheld vacuum cleaner which can be used in conjunction with a stick frame. The stick frame comprises a handle and a cleaning head and the handheld vacuum cleaner can be attached thereto whilst being in fluid communication with the cleaning head. Once the handheld vacuum cleaner is attached to the stick frame, dirty air is drawn into the handheld vacuum cleaner via the cleaning head. The handle of the stick frame means that the handheld vacuum cleaner can be also used in a similar way to an upright vacuum cleaner.
A problem with EP2012638 and EP1279362 is that the handheld vacuum cleaner is hard to attach to the frame which can be frustrating for the user. Misalignment of the handheld vacuum cleaner with the stick frame means that the dirty air flow may not be properly drawn up from the cleaning head into the handheld device.
A vacuum cleaning appliance which is easier to use is desired. Embodiments of the present invention aim to address the aforementioned problems.